* Sean Green is working on a submarine delivery. In theory it should produce a sharper sinker conducive for getting the double-play grounder.

* Pedro Feliciano is working on a cutter. The more pitches the better.

* Jerry Manuel said Fernando Nieve is versatile enough to work as a long-man, eighth-inning set-up man or starter. That’s another way of saying he has no idea on how to use him. If Jon Niese steps up, Nieve would likely be the long man.

* Good reports so far on Angel Pagan’s confidence. Pagan has no doubt he can hold center field until Carlos Beltran’s return in mid-May.

Fred Wilpon held court today, and his words gave the impression of separating himself from his baseball people – Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel.

It’s his money, but they make the decisions, Wilpon said.

“I understand from the fan’s point of view, because I am one myself, and I’m very, very sensitive to what their feelings are, and I understand some of it,’’ Wilpon said of the fans’ angst, but added, “I think that we have to be guided by our baseball people, and our baseball people evaluated, for example, some of our pitchers as good or better than what was on the market.

“Our baseball people evaluated other positions and we went by what they did. Jeff (Wilpon) followed them. Jeff and I don’t pick the baseball players. So that’s what they wanted to do.’’

In addition:

* If Jose Reyes does bat third, Manuel said it is possible Gary Matthews Jr., could lead off if he wins the center field job until Carlos Beltran returns. Again, if it isn’t broke don’t fix it, and Reyes is one of the game’s best leadoff hitters.

* Manuel also said prospect Jennry Mejia could compete for the eighth-inning set-up role, which indicates two things, 1) a concern about Kelvim Escobar, and 2) and doubts about Bobby Parnell.

* Jon Niese appears the leading candidate for the fifth starter spot. Kind of expected that all along. That Manuel would suggest that suggests good news on his hamstring.

* Rod Barajas was finally signed, which gives Josh Thole a chance to develop his game at Triple-A. Not good news for Omir Santos.

Of all the positions the Mets needed help at – save pitching – they probably could have used a first rate catcher more than anything else.

They didn’t get Bengie Molina, but were wise not to cave on the three years. But when the smoke cleared, surely they could have matched the offer Molina signed for. Rod Barajas is still out there, but is he really an upgrade over Henry Blanco and Omir Santos? Probably not.

Perhaps more than any other position, catching was the thinnest in the free agent market this winter.

It looks like it will be a Blanco-Santos platoon, which is hardly inspiring. Then again, there was always bringing back Brian Schneider, he wrote sarcastically.

We are in the staring phase of the negotiations with Jason Bay and Bengie Molina. The Mets don’t want to go to five years with Bay or three with Molina; the players believe there aren’t many options other than them.

Who blinks first?

If it doesn’t get done this week, don’t expect anything to happen until after the holidays. The Christmas-New Years weeks is traditionally quiet.

The Mets have proven in the past a willingness to wait it out and it might serve them well this time, also. Maybe so, but things have changed over the past few winters. For one, the Mets can no longer reasonably call themselves contenders after last year’s finish. There’s more a sense of desperation.Continue reading →

As expected, the Mets did not offer arbitration to Carlos Delgado, Fernando Tatis, JJ Putz, Marlon Anderson and Gary Sheffield.

There was no way they were going to do Delgado, who could have come away with a $12 million deal had he accepted. That would have been just dumb.

Not that the Mets had a chance at trading for him anyway, but Roy Halladay says he won’t approve a deal after spring training. That means, in order to get prospects instead of compensatory draft picks, the Blue Jays better push it now or have him walk after next year. This can only mean a bidding war between the Red Sox and Yankees. He will not fall back to the pack the way Johan Santana did and was snatched by the Mets.Continue reading →